BENGALURU: To improve the amenities for devotees during the century-old Karaga festival held annually, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will be upgrading facilities at the Sampangi Tank by next year. The BDA has earmarked Rs 4 crore for it, said a senior BDA official.
During the city’s oldest religious festival, the ‘Hasi Karaga’ is organised at this tank, one of the oldest in the city, on the seventh day of the auspicious occasion, before the Karaga is accompanied to the Shri Dharmaraya Swamy temple at Thigalarpet, said MLC and former Mayor P R Ramesh, also a leader of the Thigala community. “It is of much significance and held to mark the emergence of Mother Draupadi. The event has been held at this tank for over 300 years,” he said.
Though a major portion of the tank has given way to the Sree Kanteevera Stadium, part of it has been earmarked for Karaga-related rituals. “Devotees wait for hours to witness the proceedings. We want a gallery near it from where the public can comfortably see everything. At present, they sit on the ground or stand. We also want to have a separate room for the priests and another room for the puja items to be preserved throughout the year,” said Ramesh.
BDA Chairman and Yelahanka MLA SR Vishwanath had shown a keen interest in goading the authority to take a pro-active role in this request for better facilities, Ramesh said. K Satish, president of the Karaga organising committee, confirmed that BDA had assured them of Rs 4 crore to improve facilities near the tank. The BDA official said, “We are in the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report in connection with upgradation of facilities. We have called for a quotation to select the consultant.”